For the past six months I've been putting dead lifts on leg day. One week I focus on dead lifts with low reps (about 8 sets, 1-4 reps/set), and then move to higher reps for 3 sets of squats. The following week I do the same thing only with squats being the power move and deadlifts being the higher rep exercise.

I've wondered if there may be more wisdom in putting the dead lifts on back day and working lats after deadlifts. Does anyone have an opinion on that idea?

i always do them on back day but ive also heard of your way. if im not too sure in lower back ill throw in stiff deads on leg day. maybe try switching it up, its good to combine things differently so your body doesnt adapt.

I always keep deadlifts separate from anything other than chest or shoulders so that I can be as fresh for them as possible, but if I were going to combine them with either upper back or legs, I'd do them with upper back for sure.

Either you're going to be pre-fatigued to some degree in the lower back and hamstrings from doing legs beforehand, or vice-versa. Upper back, while having some carryover (deads always hit my lats and traps fairly hard, but do much more to my lower back and hams) won't be as affected, as your entire lower half will still be fresh for the bulk of what is involved in the lift, which should translate to better performance.

If nothing else, try it once on each day for upper back and legs and see which one feels better, you'll know pretty fast as to which way your body prefers it!

"A 'hardgainer' is merely someone who hasn't bothered to try enough different training methods to learn what is actually right for their own damned body." - anonymous

I'm going to go ahead and change up my routine then. Tomorrow I'll work legs/squats, and then on Saturday deadlift/back day. I'll do that for a while. I'm not really the kind of person that can try something just once and determine if it worked or not, I usually like to give it some time.